Queen Bitch: Part 4 (Bitch Series) (6 page)

Even with the encouraging news I was still mute.

"Precious, did you hear what I said?" Mike asked, lifting
up my chin.

I nodded my head yes.

"I need for you to speak up. You need to show me
some gratitude."

"Thank you," I muttered weakly.

"That's more like it. I'll be right back."

It seemed I had become numb to the pain in my
stomach from not eating. But when Mike came back with
a tray of food, I wanted to jump at it like a stray dog that
had been eating out of trash cans for weeks. "Thank you,
Mike. I mean that sincerely."

"I bet you do. It's amazing how starving an individual
can bring out the best in them," he smiled. "Now do I
have to feed you, or can I trust you'll behave if I take off
the handcuffs?"

"I'll behave. I just want to eat." I meant that shit too. As
much as I despised Mike, he was my savior at this particular
moment. When those handcuffs came off I demolished the
fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, greens and biscuit he
prepared for me. I didn't know who cooked the meal but it
was so damn good. But a can of Spam would've been good to me right about now.

"Slow down, Ma, the plate ain't going anywhere," Mike
joked. But I kept on grubbing, licking fingers and all.

"I can't believe you're feeding me such good food,
since you only promised me bread and water, and I had
only received the latter so far."

"You got lucky. Devon brought over some lunch from this
soul food restaurant and there was a lot left over. I was in a
good mood and decided to share some with you."

By the time I finished eating the last chicken thigh I was
completely full. Going hungry for however many days it
had been made my heart ache to all the kids in the world
who were truly going without. You never really have an
understanding of that type of existence until you fuck
around and find yourself in that predicament.

"I see you didn't leave not a crumb," Mike said, picking up
my plate. "So are you ready to wash off that funk on you?"

"Been ready, but what am I going to put on? I mean
there is no sense in me taking a bath if I'ma have to wear
the same funky clothes."

"I got you covered."

"Oh...so why are you being so decent to me all of a sudden"

"Real talk, you look so pathetic that I feel sorry for
you," Mike laughed.

"Well, I'm glad one of us can laugh about my circumstances."

"You're right. There is no humor in this but it is what it
is. There's nothing we can do."

"Yes there is. You can let me go home to my husband
and daughter."

"Precious, I feel sorry for you, but I'm not stupid. You
know that's not even a possibility."

"Why, because Maya says it's not?"

"No, because too much shit has happened."

"What are you getting out of this, Mike?"

"Revenge, what else?"

"Revenge on who, me? What did you expect? You tried
to have my husband murdered and you raped me. There
wasn't any other option. You had to go to jail, or die one.
You know how the game goes. The police were already on
to you, so don't blame me because you got locked up."

"Well since you know how the game go so well, then
it shouldn't be no surprise to you that you're chained up
in this motherfucking basement, now should it. So do you
want to keep sitting here running off at the mouth or do you
want to take a fucking shower before I change my mind?"

"I wanna clean my dirty ass, so I'll shut the fuck up."

"Good choice," Mike said, unlocking the chains around
my legs. "Now I don't want no shit from you, Precious. If
I think you're getting out of line, I'ma break your neck."

"I know. But I won't give you any problems. I'm just
grateful to be having some hot water splash against my
body." When I stood up, Mike held my arms behind my
back firmly. "Is that really necessary? I mean for all that you
shoulda kept the handcuffs on."

"Here you go again running off at the mouth."

"Okay, I'll be quiet, but please don't walk too fast. My legs
are still a bit numb from sitting down for so long."

Mike led me up the stairs slowly, and when he opened
the door it was as if we entered another world-make
that another planet. No longer was I in the misery of
a windowless, dreary basement. I had arrived in a mini
mansion that was bananas! I had been in some fly cribs, but the architectural design was downright stunning. When
I turned my head to the right, I could see the spacious
entry with walls of glass that led to a floating glass and
stainless steel staircase. When I turned to my left there
was a massive wall of glass for an incredible 180° view.
The shit was truly breathtaking. I couldn't comprehend
that all this was going on up here and all that was going
on down there, in what I considered a dungeon.

"Mike, I ain't tryna be funny, but who in the fuck do you
know that let you stay in this crib, and do they have any
idea you have a hostage chained up in the basement?"

"Funny, but this my shit."

"Yeah, right."

"What, you think Supreme the only one with long paper?"

"Umm, well you have been locked up, or have you
forgotten that already."

"Nah, trust I definitely ain't forgot that shit. But like I
told you a long time ago, I'm one of the few real kingpins.
Niggas like me still be making major moves behind bars.
That shit don't stop."

"I see," I said, doing a double-take of the ridiculously
fly domain.

"Come on, let me take you to the bathroom you'll be
using. I left your change of clothes on the table in there. The
shit you have on needs to be burned, so you can drop them
in the trash bag I put in there for you."

"Fuck you! This is a thirty-five hundred dollar Chloe
pantsuit that you fucked up from having me locked up
like an animal."

"Maybe now you know how it feels."

"Spare me," I said entering the bathroom.

"I'll be posted right outside this door so don't try no
slick shit."

"Oh please! I know when I can't win and it's time to
give up," I said closing the door behind me.

Damn, it seemed that everything in this house was made of glass
including the bathroom, I thought as I peeled the filthy clothes
off my back. I was more than happy to toss them into the
plastic bag. Besides bathing products and the change of
clothes, it seemed Mike had made sure all potential weapons
were banished from the bathroom. Even if I wanted to make
a move I didn't see anything that I could use.

I decided to enjoy the pleasure of a hot shower and be
done with it. When the water hit my skin, it felt almost as
good as an orgasm. It was like the water was making love
to me and I welcomed it. In the midst of being seduced
in the open shower, my eye caught what looked to be
the rim of a trashcan. It was behind the toilet and almost
unnoticeable. At the very moment I saw it, the next second
my mind began plotting. I knew it was a stretch but I had
to exercise all options because I knew they would be few
and far between.

After showering for a few more minutes I walked
away from the still running water and dried myself off.
Then I went to the sink to brush my teeth and noticed
the large mirror. I stood frozen, as I hadn't seen my
own reflection in what seemed like forever. I touched
my face gently and my cheeks had already begun to
become sunken in. I had dark circles around my eyes
from not getting any decent sleep. My normal bronzed
butterscotch complexion appeared dull after being
deprived of sunlight for so long. Now I could see why Mike felt sorry for me. I did look pathetic.

Once I took a few moments to feel sorry for myself it
was time to get dressed. I was taken aback when I saw
that my change of clothes was a cotton candy pink juicy
Couture jogging suit. It was my favorite loungewear, and
on a few occasions when Mike had come to visit me I
would have it on. I wondered if he remembered and
that's why he left it for me. But I couldn't dwell on that as
I was now on a mission.

I put my ear to the door to see if I could hear any
movement or if Mike was guarding the bathroom like he
said. I then bent down on my knees to see if I could get a
peep of his shoes under the bottom opening of the door.
I didn't see anything at first, but then I saw him walking
across the hallway going into the living room I assumed. I
stood up and grabbed the trashcan from behind the toilet.
It was solid stainless steel, exactly what I needed to cause
some damage.

I bent back down to once again place Mike's movements. This time I didn't see anything. I quietly cracked
the door open and it was clear. I quickly slid out of the
bathroom with the trashcan in tow. I closed the bathroom
door and stood behind the hallway corner out of sight.
My heart was thumping so hard I felt that all of LA could
hear it. I heard some classical music coming from the
living room area and presumed Mike was in there chilling,
although I never figured him to be up on that style of
tunes. But the soothing melody was surprisingly helping
me to relax and my mind to focus a tad bit better. I had
no idea how I was going to get the fuck out of this damn
house.

As I pondered my next move I heard footsteps and
they were coming in my direction. I leaned my back up
against the wall and didn't even take a breath.

"Precious, you're still taking a shower?" Mike yelled,
knocking on the bathroom door. I purposely kept the
water running so he could think just that. I didn't have
a watch on but it felt like I had been in the bathroom
for thirty or forty minutes so I was sure by now he was
wondering what the hell was taking me so long. Mike
stood by the door for a few more minutes and then
knocked again. "Something ain't right," I heard him say
as he opened the door.

Fuck, it's now or never! I leaped around the corner and his
back was to me as he stepped inside the bathroom.

"Precious, what the hell are you doing in here?"

As he asked the question out loud, I swung the
trashcan up high. Mike must've felt my presence from
behind because instead of me getting a clear landing on
the back of his head, I caught the side of his face as he
turned towards me. But the power of my blow did some
damage because he stumbled and fell to the floor on his
back. This was my one shot at freedom and I blew wind
sprinting out the bathroom and down the hall. My legs
were striding as if I was competing for an Olympic Gold
Medal. There was no looking back to see who I leaving
in the dust as it was winner take all, and that was gonna
be me...or so I hoped.

As I continued to strive to reach my destination, it
seemed like I was running down a never ending hallway.
I knew that shit couldn't have been as long as it felt, but
the closer I got to the front exit the further away it seemed to be. My mind was playing crazy tricks on me, so I just
kept running.

At last I could taste freedom. I was right there. My hand
reached out for the doorknob as I unlocked the top bolt,
and then swung the door open. The sun instantly shined
on me like it did for Ceily in the "Color Purple" as she
ran through the field towards her sister who she hadn't
seen in so long. But there would be no loving embrace
between families like I saw in the movie. Instead, I felt a
sharp excruciating pain and my last thought before I went
unconscious was that I would try to live till I die.

"I still can't believe Anna's dead," Supreme said as he
poured himself a glass of Remy Martin X111 cognac.
"First my wife disappears, and now Anna is deceased, all
within a week's period of time. I'm beginning to believe
this house is cursed."

"Supreme, don't do this to yourself. What happened to
Anna was a tragic accident."

"Tragic is right... to trip on a baby bottle. How unlucky
can someone be? Can you imagine if she had been carrying
Aaliyah?" That thought made Supreme pour himself some
more Remy. "Damn, I need my wife right now!" Supreme
continued taking down his cognac in one gulp.

"I haven't given up. I believe Precious will be back
soon," I said, pretending to be optimistic.

"I hope you're right."

"I am."

"Maya, I know I've been harsh with you since Precious
went missing and I'm sorry. Honestly, I don't know
what I would've done without your support, especially
for Aaliyah. You've been wonderful with her these last
few days."

"It's nothing. You know how I feel about Aaliyah. I
love her as if she was my own daughter," I said, cuddling
Aaliyah as she bounced on my lap.

"It's so hard for me right now because every time I
look at her I see Precious. My little angel is the only thing
keeping me sane right now."

"Have you gotten any new leads on what happened
to Precious?"

"Hell no! It's like she vanished into thin air. The surveillance
tapes the cops confiscated showed nothing and the private
investigators I hired can't come up with shit. I don't want to
think it, but I have to wonder if once again Pretty Boy Mike
is behind this."